(a) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to arylalkyl- and aryloxyalkylphosphonates, to the preparation thereof, and to compositions and methods for the use thereof as antiviral agents.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
J. C. Collins U.S. Pat. No. 3,917,718, issued Nov. 4, 1975, discloses compounds useful as pesticidal and antiviral agents and having the formula ##STR1## wherein Ar is phenyl or substituted phenyl, Alk is alkylene of 6-10 carbon atoms, and R is lower-alkyl. The compounds are prepared by reacting an arylalkyl halide, Ar-Alk-X, where X is bromine or iodine with an alkali metal salt of a diketone having the formula H.sub.2 C(COR).sub.2.
J. C. Collins and G. D. Diana U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,246, issued June 21, 1977, discloses compounds useful as pesticidal and antiviral agents and having the formula ##STR2## wherein Ar is phenyl or substituted phenyl, Alk is alkylene of 3-10 carbon atoms and R is lower-alkyl. The compounds are prepared by reacting an aryloxyalkyl halide, Ar-O-Alk-X, where X is bromine or iodine with an alkali metal salt of a diketone of the formula H.sub.2 C(COR).sub.2.
Sodium phosphonoacetate, (HO).sub.2 P(O)CH.sub.2 COONa, has shown antiviral activity against herpes infections in test animals; cf. S. Baron and G. Galasso, Chapter on Antiviral Agents, page 166, Annual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 10 (1975).
W. J. Linn and R. E. Bensen, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 87, 3657-72 (1965), at page 3671 disclose the compound diethyl (4-methylbenzyl)phosphonate, 4-CH.sub.3 C.sub.6 H.sub.4 CH.sub.2 P(O)(OC.sub.2 H.sub.5).sub.2, as a chemical intermediate.